|
Note: This is a Text only archive. Go directly to the real forum.
Hardcore Repubs Fleeing Bush
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
banner
| Hardcore Repubs Fleeing Bush
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
|
| Ass Boil |
Bush has betrayed every group he made promises to...
As usual, Republicans are great at getting elected, but when it comes time to actually govern they are complete failures...
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle...1002040_pf.html
Bush, GOP Congress Losing Core Supporters
Conservatives Point to Spending, Immigration
By Jim VandeHei and Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 11, 2006; A01
Disaffection over spending and immigration have caused conservatives to take flight from President Bush and the Republican Congress at a rapid pace in recent weeks, sending Bush's approval ratings to record lows and presenting a new threat to the GOP's 12-year reign on Capitol Hill, according to White House officials, lawmakers and new polling data.
Bush and Congress have suffered a decline in support from almost every part of the conservative coalition over the past year, a trend that has accelerated with alarming implications for Bush's governing strategy.
The Gallup polling organization recorded a 13-percentage-point drop in Republican support for Bush in the past couple of weeks. These usually reliable voters are telling pollsters and lawmakers they are fed up with what they see as out-of-control spending by Washington and, more generally, an abandonment of core conservative principles.
There are also significant pockets of conservatives turning on Bush and Congress over their failure to tighten immigration laws, restrict same-sex marriage, and put an end to the Iraq war and the rash of political scandals, according to lawmakers and pollsters.
Bush won two presidential elections by pursuing a political and governing model that was predicated on winning and sustaining the loyal backing of social, economic and foreign policy conservatives. The strategy was based on the belief that conservatives, who are often more politically active than the general public, could be inspired to vote in larger numbers and would serve as a reliable foundation for his presidency. The theory, as explained by Bush strategists, is that the president would enjoy a floor below which his support would never fall.
It is now apparent that this floor has weakened dramatically -- and collapsed in places.
"A lot of us have been like Paul Revere and sounding the alarm for three or four years," said Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). "Conservatives forgave Bush and Congress for our past mistakes because the war on terrorism was so important . . . but now there is a great deal of unhappiness. What you are going to increasingly see is a divided Republican Party."
Michael Franc, a top official at the Heritage Foundation, said his organization hosted 600 of its top conservative donors last week and heard more widespread complaining about Republicans than at any other point in the past 12 years. "It begins with spending, extends through immigration and results in a sense that we have Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee for the two parties," Franc said.
Ralph Sivillo, a 64-year-old retiree living in Monroe, N.Y., said he started turning against Bush in January. He said Democrats are beginning to look better to him. "I'm really dead against Bush at this point. What's he doing? He's doing nothing. Everybody's just bailing on him because they feel the same way."
"He's not well liked," said Douglas Giles, 47, a self-described conservative from Buffalo. "A lot of people don't think he's very good."
Michael Dimock of the Pew Research Center, a leading polling group, said one of the most striking findings of recent surveys is the growing number of conservatives who "don't see Bush as one of them" as they did earlier. Pew found that Bush has suffered a 24-point drop in his approval rating among voters who backed him in 2004: from 92 percent in January 2005 to 68 percent in March.
Frank Newport of the Gallup Organization cautioned against reading too much into Bush's recent loss of support among conservatives. He said the numbers tend to ebb and flow and must be confirmed over several months before it is possible to conclude that the president has suffered irreversible erosion.
Moreover, the public's view of the economy and Washington may have been soured by gasoline prices having topped $3 a gallon over the past month.
But GOP lawmakers and strategists, who have reviewed a series of polls released in recent weeks, said the results confirm what they are hearing from voters: Conservatives are demoralized and defecting in worrisome numbers. The most recent Associated Press poll found that Bush had a 52 percent approval rating among conservatives; only 33 percent had a favorable opinion of the Republican-run Congress.
"The problem in my mind, and the only way to explain the very significant erosion is just a disgust with what appears to be a complete abandonment of limited government," said former Republican congressman Pat Toomey, who runs the conservative Club for Growth. Toomey said commitment to smaller government has been the unifying idea for most elements of the GOP coalition since Ronald Reagan's presidency. "Republicans have finally had enough," he said, a sentiment echoed by several other conservative activists and lawmakers.
Since Bush took office, government spending has increased by more than 25 percent, the largest increase under any president since Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson. At the same time, Bush and the Republican Congress dramatically increased the government's role in, and overall spending on, education and Medicare by enacting the No Child Left Behind Act and new prescription drug entitlement for seniors. David A. Keene, head of the American Conservative Union, said there is a sense of flaccid leadership at the White House and in Congress that begets "things like frustration, which leads to disgust and apathy" among conservatives.
The immigration debate appears to be damaging Bush and GOP lawmakers, too. Conservative voters are saying they want swift congressional action to secure the border and enforce immigrations laws, but Bush and Congress are split over the best way to deal with illegal immigrants already in the country.
A new Zogby Interactive poll found that fewer than 25 percent of respondents who described themselves as conservative or very conservative approved of Bush's handling of the immigration debate. "Unfortunately, when it comes to controlling our borders, we are about a decade behind where we need to be," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.).
Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, and GOP leaders are well aware of the problem and are planning a summer offensive to win back conservatives with a mix of policy fights and warnings of how a Democratic Congress would govern. The plan includes votes on tax cuts, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, new abortion restrictions, and measures to restrain government spending. |
|
|
| yamahafan1000 |
| I think what this really shows is that there is a divide in the party. Those who are true conservatives who are willing and able to debate various political topics and are capable leaders, and the neo-conservative like Bush and company that dress like conservatives and talk a good line to use the business influences of the Republican party to line their own pockets. If this sort of shenanigans continue look for a fractioned party or a third party to rise up the fill the void. |
|
|
| DREAD |
| Secure the border and he will pick up 5 of 10 GOP base. |
|
|
| muntz |
"Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, and GOP leaders are well aware of the problem and are planning a summer offensive to win back conservatives with a mix of policy fights and warnings of how a Democratic Congress would govern. The plan includes votes on tax cuts, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, new abortion restrictions, and measures to restrain government spending."
Lets be honest, this is too little, too late for Mr. Rove.... these neocons felt they could be in control indefinitely... i dont think so... |
|
|
| muntz |
Quote: Originally posted by DREAD
Secure the border and he will pick up 5 of 10 GOP base. |
Bush doesnt want to... its in his best interests to amnesty those illegals already here he wants it open door it means more people for allegiance to him and his values...
but most people want closed borders.... Bush cant get it right, the neocons are only thinking of themselves... |
|
|
| NC-Stern-Mark |
| Count me in. Just like the article stated, Republicans can't govern for shit. We blew the opportunity of a lifetime and no one is to blame but GWB. The Republican party will be in the wilderness for the next 12 or 16 years. |
|
|
| muntz |
Quote: Originally posted by NC-Stern-Mark
Count me in. Just like the article stated, Republicans can't govern for shit. We blew the opportunity of a lifetime and no one is to blame but GWB. The Republican party will be in the wilderness for the next 12 or 16 years. |
from your words to G-d's ears... |
|
|
| Ironpirate |
| we won, you lost, stfu |
|
|
| muntz |
Quote: Originally posted by Ironpirate
we won, you lost, stfu |
yeah you won.... we all pay.... but remember nothing lasts forever... IMHO less fundamentalist christians... less neocons... and a person more like Sandra Day OConnor, or Arlen Spector... people I have respect for... |
|
|
| Billyfromsphily |
| Well the important word is ILLEGAL. Something the Bushes have ignored all their lives. The rules have never applied to them as far as they are concerned. They are above the law. |
|
|
| Billyfromsphily |
| OH yeah how about jane Fonda at the White House dinner last year. Whats that tell you about the Bushes???? Whos next???? Barbara Streisand??? |
|
|
| Ironpirate |
| They are above the law, durr |
|
|
| Ironpirate |
 |
|
|
| Billyfromsphily |
Typical Republican response: Lets beat to death a past issue. NO shit but its in the past. Lets keep avoiding the issues of who is in office today and resurect the past which we can do nothing about!
OH yeah,.... well Franklin Pearce was No ball of fire either..... Oh its easier to point out Clinton's faults than look objectively at Bushes weakness's, because the Republican party is a bunch of lazy intellectual underacchievers.
Where is Neil Bush at??? OH we bailed out the savings and Loan Ad because of him.
How about George the 1st and his girlfriend???? OH no one wants to admit he is a fornicator just like Clinton....
Real Republicams take responsibility. not hide on their ranches!!!!!! |
|
|
| muntz |
| remember these guys are neocons... not real republicans... there are some still around but not many.... example... Arlen Spector... |
|
|
| Crazytree |
Quote: Originally posted by Ironpirate
we won, you lost, stfu |
I'm going to put this quote in my sig come November. |
|
|
| Billyfromsphily |
Quote: Originally posted by Ironpirate
They are above the law, durr |
Durr they pander to one group and then embrace the opposition DURRRR don't you see the hypocrasy ??? DUHHHHHHH! |
|
|
| Billyfromsphily |
Quote: Originally posted by muntz
remember these guys are neocons... not real republicans... there are some still around but not many.... example... Arlen Spector... |
Well they should all become Felon Cons soon. |
|
|
| Jano |
Bush Jr. can have Milosevich's old cell at the war crimes tribunal.
 |
|
|
| Ass Boil |
Let's just take a quick look at all the groups Bush has lied to, trying to gain political support:
fiscal "conservatives"
gay bashers
anti abortion kooks
farmers
blue collar workers
vets
etc..
etc... |
|
|
| Stonewall |
Republicans will keep control of both houses of Congress come November.
While nationwide polls are interesting, they are useless when determining individual Congressional Districts. Single members of Congress for the most part enjoy good approval ratings within their districts. It's not easy to unseat a sitting member of Congress.
The Base of the Republican party will turn out because they know the result of a Democrat controlled Congress. Even if they don't like this current Congress as a whole.
It is going to be very difficult to win for Democrats. |
|
|
| Turbo_Nerd_Eric |
Quote: Originally posted by muntz
"Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, and GOP leaders are well aware of the problem and are planning a summer offensive to win back conservatives with a mix of policy fights and warnings of how a Democratic Congress would govern. The plan includes votes on tax cuts, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, new abortion restrictions, and measures to restrain government spending."
Lets be honest, this is too little, too late for Mr. Rove.... these neocons felt they could be in control indefinitely... i dont think so... |
Yep get ready for the cultural war to heat up again. The GOP is going to come up with every hot button issue they can. Distract people from the real issues by appealing to their more base, cave man instincts. Best way to sew up the middle of the country and the south. |
|
|
| Crazytree |
| wonder if W got caught raping children if MikeNC would find some way to rationalize it. |
|
|
| muntz |
Quote: Originally posted by Stonewall
Republicans will keep control of both houses of Congress come November.
While nationwide polls are interesting, they are useless when determining individual Congressional Districts. Single members of Congress for the most part enjoy good approval ratings within their districts. It's not easy to unseat a sitting member of Congress.
The Base of the Republican party will turn out because they know the result of a Democrat controlled Congress. Even if they don't like this current Congress as a whole.
It is going to be very difficult to win for Democrats. |
sadly you're wrong.... with the exception of that ultimate idiot santorum from PA the main republican candidates are losing in polls... i guess youre relying on the fixed voting machines ehhh.. and what happens if we attack Iran and they call their threat? YOU and republicans are in trouble.... |
|
|
| muntz |
Quote: Originally posted by Turbo_Nerd_Eric
Yep get ready for the cultural war to heat up again. The GOP is going to come up with every hot button issue they can. Distract people from the real issues by appealing to their more base, cave man instincts. Best way to sew up the middle of the country and the south. |
uh i think hes gonna be a little busy with his lawyers... it cant be on autopilot without him.... |
|
|
| Stonewall |
Quote: Originally posted by muntz
sadly you're wrong.... with the exception of that ultimate idiot santorum from PA the main republican candidates are losing in polls... i guess youre relying on the fixed voting machines ehhh.. and what happens if we attack Iran and they call their threat? YOU and republicans are in trouble.... |
I'm not in trouble regardless of who wins.
There really is no way to judge this upcoming election until the candidates have been through the primaries and specific campaigns begin.
Polls at this point are useless because you don't know exactly who is running against whom.
I see Santorum being in trouble for this election. I'm not sure he is going to be Sen. from PA much longer. I do believe that if their is a possibility for a takeover it would be in the Senate, however I doubt it. The House is a bridge too far. |
|
|
| Ass Boil |
Santorum is done.
Couldn't happen to a bigger asshole... |
|
|
| Turbo_Nerd_Eric |
Quote: Originally posted by Stonewall
The Base of the Republican party will turn out because they know the result of a Democrat controlled Congress. Even if they don't like this current Congress as a whole.
|
What is the result of a Democratic controlled congress. Some of the white house outrages might actually be investigated? |
|
|
| Crazytree |
| NCMike what would it take for you to finally admit W is a moron and we're losing the war? |
|
|
| nikkyo |
Quote: Originally posted by Ass Boil
Bush has betrayed every group he made promises to...
As usual, Republicans are great at getting elected, but when it comes time to actually govern they are complete failures...
|
Like I posted on another thread.....google the word failure
and see the first result that pops up. :D |
|
|
|
|
|
